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5. Bark


Bark is a fascinating photographic subject -- fibrous textures, insect paths on scribbly gum, colours brought out when the trees are slick with rain, the amazing red of angaphoras when they shed their bark -- to name just a few.

Because it is evergreen the Australian bush seems seasonless until you tune into its rhythms. The way many of the trees shed their bark leaving a fresh smooth trunk is one of those rhythms.

Comments

  1. WinamDecember 5, 2014 at 8:53 PM

    I really think the real Australian seasons with all its events should be widely taught and the European seasons forgotten about as they make no sense.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Joan ElizabethDecember 7, 2014 at 4:01 PM

      The problem is how many seasons are there? The aboriginals have a varying number of seasons depending on the location.

      Delete
  2. VickiDecember 6, 2014 at 7:33 AM

    I agree with everything you say about bark, Joan. Great pic.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Joan ElizabethDecember 7, 2014 at 4:03 PM

      A photo of a grand old scribbly bark beside a water pool was a hot contender for selection. I take lots of photo of bark but not that many show up in the blogs ... they don't seem interesting enough for commentary but I have enjoyed them anyway.

      Delete
  3. JulieDecember 7, 2014 at 9:53 AM

    Yes, the European sesons make no sense, well, just a little bit of sense. Love your text here Joan, and the photo is superb.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Joan ElizabethDecember 7, 2014 at 4:12 PM

      Yes I agree they do make some sense particularly in a location like the mountains. I have decided we have six seasons in the Blue Mountains
      1. Dry Summer - December/January (though of course right now that title is defying me. The only time we have fairly reliable hot weather)
      2. Wet Summer - February/March (we usually get lots of heavy rain in those months)
      3 Autumn - April/May (the first colour begins almost spot on 1 April and ends with the crescendo at the end of May)
      4. Winter - June/July (the cold dreary months)
      5. Spring - August/September (a rolling display starting with daffodils in August to a huge blossom display end September)
      6. Transition - October/November (the wierd season lurching madly from snowfalls to searing hot days and back again until it eventually settles into the rhythm of summer)

      And yes I now I have just described our seasons using European plants! I must take a much closer look at the actually timing of things in the local bushland this coming year.

      Delete

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